Bison STEM Scholars Program Welcomes Third Annual Cohort to Howard University
WASHINGTON, July 23, 2019 /PRNewswire/ -- The Howard University Bison STEM Scholars Program (BSSP) welcomes its third cohort of incoming freshman to join the multi-year program that provides full undergraduate scholarships to high-achieving students who have committed to pursuing graduate and professional studies in STEM-related disciplines. The 29 students of Cohort 3 represent 12 states and were selected through a competitive national application process with strict eligibility requirements. The cohort consists of 15 women and 14 men, with an average SAT score of 1384 and an average ACT score of 30. All have committed to pursuing a Ph.D., or a combined MD/Ph.D. The arrival of Cohort 3 to Howard is the latest example of the University's strategic plan to become the number one producer of undergraduate students who go on to earn doctorate degrees in STEM disciplines.
"The Bison STEM Scholars Program is designed for focused students who from Day One have committed to going the distance to pursue their terminal degrees. This program will help them achieve those goals and stay on target by grouping them alongside like-minded individuals so iron can sharpen iron," says Howard University President Wayne A. I. Frederick, M.D., MBA.
Dr. Frederick and Provost and Chief Academic Officer Anthony K. Wutoh, Ph.D., initiated development of BSSP nearly three years ago to address the lack of minorities earning terminal STEM degrees, and eventually becoming researchers and higher education faculty. With the addition of Cohort 3, the program now enrolls 87 of the University's most talented students.
"These students represent the diversity that is necessary to address some of the most critical scientific and societal challenges of our times. They are among the brightest and most gifted students in the country, and we look forward to the great things that they will accomplish as scientists, researchers, and research-based clinicians," Provost Wutoh says.
Cohort 3's welcome to the University is the annual Summer Bridge Program (SBP), a critical component of BSSP which transitions the scholars from high school to a university setting and encourages them to coalesce as a team, and as a family. For a rigorous 6-weeks of academic development and refining, the scholars are enrolled in calculus and afro-american studies, both credit-bearing classes, alongside chemistry seminar, German seminar and a college success seminar. The scholars also explore careers in STEM disciplines to begin narrowing their educational and future career interests. For the second consecutive year, the incoming cohort will travel to Berlin, Germany as part of a three-year partnership with the Council on International Educational Exchange (CIEE). The two-week educational program abroad was created to increase diversity among students who have the advantage of traveling abroad and benefitting from social, cultural and academic exchange. BSSP Program Director Ronald H. Smith says the program aligns with one of the aims of BSSP, which is to build a global perspective in a world that is increasingly diverse and global in nature.
"For most of our scholars, the trip to Berlin, Germany will mark the first time that they have traveled out of the country," Smith explains. "There are many cultural, political and social differences between life in the United States and other countries. However, we believe that the frequency with which we join with others from around the world to solve vexing global challenges will increase over time. The sooner that our scholars learn how to understand, tolerate and bridge those differences, the better prepared they will be to be STEM leaders on the global stage."
Cohort 3 will reside at the CIEE Global Institute, located in center city Berlin, and will attend classes from 9 a.m. until noon before embarking on excursions related to cultural development and STEM education. To further develop intercultural skills and investigate major themes in global health, BSSP and CIEE developed the Seminar in Intercultural Communication and Global Public Health. Students will develop on a group research project focuses on a specific global health challenge and present their findings while in Berlin. The scholars leave Howard University Saturday, July 27 return Saturday, August 10.
For more information on the Bison STEM Scholars Program, including scholar profiles and application guidelines, visit www.howard.edu.
MEDIA CONTACT
Alonda Thomas, [email protected]
SOURCE Howard University
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